The Dark Queen
by EleneVoronwien
Summary: Berúthiel is tired and prays for The Darkness. So It grants her a rare gift


Sorceress. Witch. The queen _carried_ many titles among the citizens of Gondor.

Everyone feared and avoided her, even her own husband.

\- Damn you! - Tarannon cried , covering his cheeks with his hands. His wife had just scratched his face, behaving like one of her feline spies. He had just revealed his plan to leave once again.

.- No, my lord, damn you! - Berúthiel had never loved her husband **.** There was no reason to hide the state of their marriage. She had been sold in an attempt to bring about an alliance between Gondor and Umbar. Everyone knew that and thought it was the king's greatest mistake.

She hated Tarannon and his people. She hated that land.

Berúthiel felt hatred and anger every day. From the moment she opened her eyes to the moment she closed them, she had thosefeelings descendants of The Darkness, energy her people - and even the early Edain - had worshiped. The Darkness was also the cause of the Queen's imprisonment in the White City.

However, no one understood her devotion. Instead, they discriminated against herand accused her of maintaining alliances with the Elder Vala **.** But wasn't it true that the Black Numenoreans had given ear to Sauron's sweet words? Their practices, although distinct, had ended up confused and interlaced with his.

 **T** here were times when Umbar's daughter wanted to choose her fate. She wanted freedom. She longed for those dark arts that would give her anything she wanted and would put an end to her loneliness and suffering. The world offers wonderful choices to a desperate mind.

And Berúthiel's mind gratefully accepted them.

When, in one of her frequent nights out, alone in her garden the animal she most hated appeared. Its soft fur was white and his eyes were a very deep green, just _like hers._

She never liked cats and always had the feeling that these creatures could read her mind, the only place that really belonged to _her_ _._ She resented those eyes that seemed to judge her.

Judgment was something Berúthiel could not stand.

-I desire to know what the people are talking. Go! - said the woman of the richly embroidered robes to her spy. Bragol, her white cat, had become her eyes where she could not see; the animal did not hesitate to do her will, always watchful of everything and everyone.

The fame of the new slave of the Queen ran _through_ Gondor. Everyone feared the unusual cat's eyes. They believed that his appearance meant a bad presage and spat when they saw him.

Bragol served Berúthiel faithfully. He loved her, even if _never got_ a look of approval. The Queen was not his owner and often would inflict him with all kinds of torments. Yet, Bragol knew he had to stay and help her.

One day the animal entered the royal chambers only to be surprised. The woman of Umbar was surrounded by black cats.

She said they would help.

\- I wish to know what my husband is doing. - Berúthiel ordered her new slaves. They did not have Bragol's understanding but served as the white cat's eyes. Her new felines did not speak to her in the language of her first cat, but he _could understand them and relayed their messages on to the Queen._

\- I desire you to command your new brothers. – The queen said **,** as she brushed her long black hair. - You will do that for me, won't you? - Her half smile left her eyes with _a_ distinctive glow.

No response.

\- Will you not? - Berúthiel turned aside, brush in hand determined to get ananswer, showing her teeth. For those who saw her would say that the queen had taken characteristics of her cats simply because she spent all her time with them.

The white cat _was_ quick to calm the ever-present women's anger whenever it was manifested. He knew that if he did not the lady in front of him would only be appeased by her magic _which_ consisted of some potions, followed by words that he did not understand and that terrible look. The look that preceded his suffering.

\- Very well. So go and be useful. - Eager to get _out of_ there the cat _left_ quickly.

Berúthiel never understood why he was given to her but somehow they could communicate and understand each other. And then after many years she realized that Bragol was everything she had asked from The Darkness: Omnipresence.


End file.
